The North Face Potosi Jacket - Women's - 2011 BCS

First off, I am very picky when it comes to shelling out $350 for a jacket. I was skeptical at first, but this baby is worth every penny. It's incredibly warm - partly because of the Primaloft One insulation and partly due to well placed raschel (the soft and fuzzy material) added to the inside of the jacket at the hips and shoulders (check out my photo to see the raschel on the hips). All of the outer seams exposed to the elements are fully sealed and the zippers are easy to open and close (a huge pro for me because the last thing you want to deal with when it's below freezing is a zipper that won't zip). The back is slightly longer than the front, which is nice because it covers more of your behind for those frigid days. There are indeed 2 pit zips, 2 front pockets, and 1 internal chest pocket, but there is one more handy external pocket on the left side next to the main zipper. I use it to put important stuff I need access to quickly (money, ID, chapstick). The 2 vertical zip hand pockets are cleverly positioned closer to the middle of the jacket near the main zipper; so if you pocket a heavy item (say, a smartphone) it doesn't bump into your hip with every stride you take. Finally, the Ultramarine Blue color isn't represented well on this site. It's definitely purple. The photo on Zappos.com is far more accurate: http://www.zappos.com/the-north-face-womens-potosi-jacket-ultramarine-blue

Bottom line: If you have the cash and need a really warm winter jacket with tons of extras, this is it. And if you don't like it, Backcountry has the best return policy ever.